This up-and-coming arts district southeast of
downtown San Diego has the county’s largest collection of public murals. Chicano Park,
a National Historic Landmark, is filled with
colorful works depicting stories from Aztec
mythology, civil rights leaders, and Mexican
artists, such as Frida Kahlo. The neighborhood is also home to several eclectic galleries,
including Bread & Salt, La Bodega Gallery and
the dual space basileIE and CM Curatorial. Get
a feel for the local arts scene on the free, self-guided Barrio Art Crawl on the second Saturday
of each month.

LIBERTY STATION ARTS DISTRICT

Liberty Station is a hub of creativity. The
repurposed military installation in Point
Loma houses more than 120 galleries, studios and workshops where artisans create and
display their wares. Explore the district and
meet the artists at the Friday Night Liberty
art walk on the first Friday of the month.

Keep an eye out around Barracks 14 for more
than a dozen murals by noted cross-border
artist Hugo Crosthwaite. Crosthwaite drew
inspiration for Column A and Column B: A
Continual Mural Narrative Performance from
the region’s military history and its everyday
happenings, in the hope of sparking dialogue
about the nature and impermanence of art.

ART AROUND TOWN

Head to UC San Diego to see Fallen Star,
a crooked house atop the Jacobs School of
Engineering, and 17 other quirky pieces in
the Stuart Collection. Just off campus in La
Jolla are two dozen murals, including the
Instagram-famous Favorite Color on Eads
Avenue. San Diego also has its own art collection: Works peppered throughout the city
range from the ultramodern orbs in Fault Line
Park to the fun, funky birdhouses of Tweet
Street Park in Cortez Hill. The neighborhoods of North Park, Hillcrest and University
Heights are also dotted with murals.

Affordable Art Appreciation

Throughout the month of October, kids 12 and under get in free at more than

40 museums around San Diego County. Also, February is Macy’s MuseumMonth, which means half-price admission to all members of the San DiegoMuseum Council. Check out the list at sandiegomuseumcouncil.org.